If it is so important to the left to stop Sarah Palin from running for President, then it is that much more important that she run - and win!

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Wednesday, June 3, 2009

After publishing the story on George Soros’ ties to CREW, Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, it came to my attention that there was more to this.

One of the founders of CREW, Norm Eisen, is actually the ethics adviser to Barack Obama and his administration. As the Washington Post put it in a flowery article, Eisen is “the guardian of Obama’s integrity.”

Now frankly, this isn’t shocking news, or even big news. I mean if we had a Republican President, she or he would most certainly choose their staff of advisers from people who most fit in with their ideology.

But it is remarkable that Mr. Obama would choose someone from a group whose methods of operation are questionable, at best. Never mind the fact this person is heading up the ethics shop in the White House.

One also has to ask why Norm Eisen was picked. We know the ties that George Soros has to CREW. We also know that Soros is a very big supporter of President Obama. Was it something as simple as Mr. Soros recommending Mr. Eisen for the job, or is there more to it than that?

Frankly, the question I have, is this: Is this position, at least in part, payoff for a job well done?

This brings us back to Governor Sarah Palin, and the ethics complaint filed by CREW, over the wardrobe the GOP paid for. You know, the ethics complaint that was thrown out by the FEC.

Mr. Obama has been known to reward people who have successfully smeared Governor Palin. As I have previously reported, as a candidate, Mr. Obama was very involved in the so-called “troopergate” witch hunt against Governor Palin. He made an initial call to the troopers union in Alaska, and his campaign chief of staff, and now White house adviser, Pete Rouse, reached out to old friend, and former co-worker, Alaska Senator Kim Elton, who then started ram-rodding the so-called investigation through. It was Mr. Obama and Senator Elton’s intention to create an “October surprise” to take down Governor Palin. Senator Elton openly bragged about it.

Of course, the highly partisan Branchflower Report made certain claims that Governor Palin’s actions were questionable, but upon review by Timothy Petumenos, an independent investigator for the Alaska Personnel Board, had this to say, “There is no probable cause to believe that the Governor, or any other state official, violated the Alaska Executive Ethics Act in connection with these matters."

As if to punctuate the point further, Petumenos added that Branchflower had used a wrong statute as the basis for his conclusions, misconstrued the available evidence and did not consider or obtain all the material evidence to reach a proper finding. Petumenos went on to say, "Also absent from the evidence reviewed is any assertion that the Governor directed anyone in the Department of Public Safety to terminate Trooper Wooten, or directed anyone on her staff to seek the termination of Trooper Wooten,"

For those that may not know, Trooper Michael Wooten, is still Trooper Michael Wooten. Still on the job.

Once President Obama took office, Senator Elton was rewarded for his efforts with a job in the Interior Department. A pretty obvious payoff for a “job well done.”

CREW, did an incredible job of smearing Governor Palin over the wardrobe issue, which was a non-story, or a story best left to the gossip magazines. They managed to turn something that is standard practice in big time politics, “styling” a candidate, into a national obsession.

So the question this writer has to ask, is this: Was Norm Eisen hired as President Obama’s ethics adviser because he was the best they could get, or was this another case of rewarding someone for a job well done smearing Governor Sarah Palin?

Governor Sarah Palin has repeatedly warned Alaskans of the strings attached to some of the stimulus money offered by Washington, D. C. and paid by increasing our tax deficit. She explains again why she rejected $28.6 million in stimulus funds that would take away the right of local communities to establish their own building codes. She is one of the few governors who are actively resisting the efforts of the current administration to extend the tentacles of government into every facet of our lives.

It is time for Americans to take a stand up against this expansion of government while we still have the rights guaranteed to us by our Constitution. In five short months in office, Barack Obama, with the help of a Democratic Congress, has made possible devastating inroads by government into the private sector.

Obama's latest strategy has been to blame the economic crisis on the healthcare industry. Is our memory so short not to remember that the economic crisis started with the undermining of the housing market by bad lending practices put into place by bad legislation instigated by ACORN and signed by Jimmy Carter and Bill Clinton? To now blame the economic crisis on the healthcare industry so he can control it just like he is now controlling General Motors should be a wakeup call to all Americans.

Governor Palin is wise to resist the intrusion of Washington into local and state governments. If only we had more leaders like her!

Energy code overreachesRules best decided by local government

Gov. Sarah Palin, Community Perspective

newsminer.comPublished Tuesday, June 2, 2009

I have taken many opportunities to explain the economic stimulus bill and problems created from increasing programs tied to accepting federal funds. My concerns with issuing record levels of government debt to pay for increases and the inevitable demand for state dollars to backfill the funding gap are a matter of public record.

Alaska’s senior U.S. senator shared my concerns, stating: “Will schools, municipalities and jobs simply terminate after two years or will programs or positions be scaled back? … (T)he only other alternative to cutting the new programs and services is to ask the state to pick up the tab.”

However, I vetoed $28.6 million tied to adoption of universal energy building codes. The feds required me to certify these codes “will be implemented” or pushed on local communities.My record is clear. I support energy conservation through weatherization and developing renewable energy. But, conditions here required more “big brother” government involvement than most Alaskans want, and the new codes could cost Alaskans thousands of dollars per new home and renovation.

Alaskans have a strong history of independence and opposition to Washington, D.C., meddling in local issues. Our Constitution ensures “maximum local self-government.” Our communities have had the option to adopt building codes for decades. Most have not done so.

I’ve served as a city councilwoman and city mayor-manager. I’ve participated first hand in the mandated-building code debate. Anyone serving in local office knows strong deference to local communities leads to the best policies. That policy holds true with building codes.

My community went through a battle over building codes when our booming city desired more growth opportunities to allow job creation. The last thing we needed was a bureaucrat from Washington, D.C., telling us what the best policy was to adopt.

Strings are definitely attached to federal dollars. With energy building codes, section 410(a)(2) and the Department of Energy’s official guidance required certifying several conditions before Alaska could receive funds.

One of these conditions related to energy building codes, and the department gave two options to meet it:

1. The state “will implement” the 2009 International Energy Conservation Code for new homes and renovations; a “building energy code (that meets or exceeds Standard 90.1-2007) for commercial buildings throughout the state;” and adopt and pay for a plan of “active” enforcement.

I could not certify this. The Legislature did not pass a bill adopting a statewide energy building code. One size does not fit all in Alaska. Plus, laws related to residential building codes when AHFC funds are used allow an exemption due to the “high cost of implementation” in different areas of Alaska. The federal residential building code does not allow exemptions.

2. All “applicable units of local government that have authority to adopt building codes, will implement” the residential and commercial building codes mentioned above and these codes would need to be enforced.

I could not certify this either. Alaska communities have the right to determine for themselves whether to adopt building codes. I asked the feds to clarify their position. Governors from other states such as Missouri and Wyoming also questioned section 410 and the official agency position on mandated building codes.

The department finally admitted section 410 and their previous statements were “inappropriate” for some states but still wanted an agreement to push model codes on all Alaskan communities. I said no.

Beware of Washington, D.C., trying to cajole local community leaders to eliminate the choices Alaskans have when building or renovating homes and businesses. These new codes could cost thousands of dollars to comply with and are so detailed they would dictate the kinds of lights that can be installed in a home in Chugiak and how thick window panes must be in Chignik.

We have hundreds of millions of dollars already budgeted for conservation, weatherization and renewable energy development. My administration will remain vigilant for Alaskans and oppose mandates or pressure to conform from Washington D.C. bureaucrats.

Sarah Palin was elected governor of Alaska in 2006. She was elected to the Wasilla City Council in 1992 and 1995 and as Wasilla mayor in 1996 and 1999.

In her statements (below) on SarahPAC, Governor Palin condemned the murder of George Tiller but also lamented the fact that his death was so widely publicized when the death of a young solider at the the hands of an Islamic extremist went practically unnoticed.

My question is this: Why did Private William Long's Commander-in-Chief not even mention his death at the hands of a terrorist when he was so vocal about the death of abortionist George Tiller?

Governor Palin Statement on George Tiller

"I feel sorrow for the Tiller family. I respect the sanctity of life and the tragedy that took place today in Kansas clearly violates respect for life. This murder also damages the positive message of life, for the unborn, and for those living. Ask yourself, 'What will those who have not yet decided personally where they stand on this issue take away from today's event in Kansas?'

Regardless of my strong objection to Dr. Tiller's abortion practices, violence is never an answer in advancing the pro-life message."

"The stories of two very different lives with similar fates crossed through the media's hands yesterday - both equally important but one lacked the proper attention. The death of 67-year old George Tiller was unacceptable, but equally disgusting was another death that police believe was politically and religiously motivated as well.

William Long died yesterday. The 23-year old Army Recruiter was gunned down by a fanatic; another fellow soldier was wounded in the ambush. The soldiers had just completed their basic training and were talking to potential recruits, just as my son, Track, once did.

Whatever titles we give these murderers, both deserve our attention. Violence like that is no way to solve a political dispute nor a religious one. And the fanatics on all sides do great disservice when they confuse dissention with rage and death."